BEIJING, May 16 (APP): The Chinese electronic and print media has
accorded extensive and prominent coverage to participation of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held here on May 14-15.
English and Chinese languages television channels especially China
Global Television Network (CGTN), CCTV and BT evinced keen interest in the official engagements of the prime minister and showed several footages in the news and other programs.
Besides, China Radio International (CRI), the prominent newspapers
including Peoples’ Daily, Global Times, China Daily, Beijing Review and Shanghai Daily carried stories and analysis highlighting the active participation of the prime minister in the forum.
PM Nawaz Sharif in an interview to “China Youth Daily” said Pakistan was a proud partner of China in the construction of CPEC project.
He pointed out, after two years’ entire cooperation between the two
countries; this project was turning out to be the important model of transnational cooperation for improvement of living conditions of countries along the “One Belt and One Road”.
After his arrival in the Chinese capital, the prime minister held important meetings with top Chinese leadership.
In his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the prime minister
highlighted the achievements of his government and efforts for the implementation of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
“China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a core component of your visionary initiative of the “One Belt-One Road.” We sincerely appreciate your commitment and leadership for the realization of CPEC.
He also stressed for accelerating the implementation of projects in Gwadar and establishment of Special Economic and Industrial Zones.
The prime minister congratulated President Xi on successful holding of
the Belt and Road Forum and said that the participation of a large number of world leaders in Chinese capital was a testimony of his leadership and China’s growing stature in the international community.
In his remarks, President Xi Jinping welcomed the prime minister and his
delegation for attending the Forum and expressed his satisfaction over the pace of growing bilateral ties and resolved to cement the ties further by enhancing cooperation in multiple spheres.
The prime minister during the meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li
Keqiang at Peoples’ Great Hall, said Pakistan fully supported China’s giant One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative and would work closely with it to contribute for the region’s prosperity.
Pakistan believed that China’s strategic policies in the region were for peace and prosperity, he added.
Later talking to media, Nawaz Sharif said China was supportive of
Pakistan’s stance on the issue of Kashmir and favoured its resolution through peaceful dialogue. Both Pakistan and China favoured negotiations with India as the “most viable solution to the Kashmir dispute.”
The prime minister along with his Chinese counterpart also witnessed the signing of six accords of cooperation between China and Pakistan in diverse fields including Framework Agreement on up-gradation of Main Line-1 rail track and establishment of a dry port at Havelian.
On the first day of the Belt and Road Forum, he addressed the plenary
session of High-Level Dialogue and said the CPEC was open to all countries in the region and emphasized the project ‘must not be politicized.
He also called for building a peaceful, connected and caring neighbourhood by shunning mutual differences.
The prime minister told the BRF platform, with 29 heads of states and
governments and 1,500 delegates in attendance that peace and development go hand in hand, and nothing can pave the path for peace and security more than economic development achieved through regional collaboration.
He said OBOR connected Asia, Africa and Europe, besides covering half of the world population, half of its resources, and 65 countries. International investors from all over are pouring their resources into it.
The prime minister urged the audience to sustain the OBOR with full
vigour and robust political will. “Let OBOR become a metaphor for a new, mature, resilient and cooperative world.
On the last day of the forum, PM Nawaz Sharif participated in the
Leaders’ Roundtable sessions, focusing on closer partnership for inter-connected development held at the Yanki Lake International Conference Centre.
PM Nawaz Sharif along with Chinese President Xi Jinping and others heads of the state and government also attended the Working Lunch on the second day of the BRF Forum where they exchanged views on the One Belt, One Road project.
Addressing the Leaders Roundtable, part of the two-day Bet and
Road Forum, the Prime Minister emphasized that the OBOR and CPEC) were all about shared prosperity, beginning a new era for humanity and vowing progress in the poor regions.
He said the core of the OBOR initiative was connectivity and long-term
development, especially in developing countries and informed the gathering that OBOR was in fact the beginning of a new era for humanity, which has brought to poor regions in the belt-road countries, spectacular opportunities to break free from the vicious cycle of poverty and under-development.
Pakistan was pursuing a vision of a peaceful, inter-connected and prosperous neighbourhood with great determination, he added.
He said, “Building CPEC together, both Pakistan and China were reaping the early benefits of interconnected development.
He said the connection of Xinjiang to Gwadar and Karachi created new
supply and logistic chains, as well as manufacturing networks and added Gwadar Port would link up East, West and South Asia besides reaching out to African and European markets.
In his statement at the first session of Leader’s Roundtable, themed “Policy Synergy for Closer Partnership” held at Yanqi Lake, he said OBOR Initiative would help overcome threats of terrorism, refugee movements, food and water security in the region.
The prime minister said the new OBOR family and the wider international community should coordinate and synergise their initiatives to create and enhance the space for cooperation.
He stressed dialogue and communication with nations outside the belt-road routes as necessary to dispel apprehensions.
Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan strongly favours cooperation and synergetic partnerships across regions for socioeconomic development and human prosperity.
In his remarks following the Joint Communiqué at the conclusion of the
Forum, the prime minister said Pakistan had started reaping the early benefits of the CPEC under the initiative of One Belt, One Road (OBOR) for interconnected development.
The CPEC had not only addressed some of the critical needs of Pakistan’s economy, but also started creating supply and logistic chains as well as manufacturing networks, which was having a transformational impact on the lives of people, he added.
He said connectivity was not just about connected countries and businesses, but mainly about connected peoples and nations.
The prime minister congratulated President Xi Jinping for the initiative
of “One Belt-One Road” and commended the tremendous efforts of his government and people for making the forum an historic global event.
He said the presence of such a large number of Heads of State and
Government and distinguished world leaders at the Forum was testimony to the China’s leadership and acknowledgment of the growing stature of China on the international map.
As an old friend, it was a matter of immense pleasure for the government and the people of Pakistan to witness the success of this event as well as the transformational potential of OBOR for the peace, progress and prosperity of the people of the world, he added.
He called for quickly putting in place an institutional mechanism for
the continuous periodical review and appraisal of the formulation and implementation of OBOR polices and plans.
The prime minister also held meetings with world leaders during his
visit. During his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, both the leaders discussed issues of bilateral interests and exchanged views on matters of regional and international importance.
Nawaz Sharif and Erdogan emphasized to further enhance bilateral relations by increasing cooperation in multiple spheres.
PM Nawaz Sharif in his meeting with President of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang said Pakistan considered Vietnam as an important country of the region and wanted to maintain economic and political relationship with it.
The prime minister stressed the need for the two countries to strengthen and explore their business and investment opportunities.
He expressed satisfaction over the bilateral political consultation and
working of Joint Ministerial Commission and Joint Trade Commission between the two countries. He invited the Vietnamese President to visit Pakistan which he accepted.
PM Nawaz Sharif met Prime Minister of Ethiopia Hailemariam Desalegn and discussed the matters of mutual interests and bilateral issues and emphasized to further enhance the bilateral ties by promoting cooperation between the two countries in multiple spheres.
The Ethiopian prime minister expressed the interest to cooperate with Pakistan in sharing experiences on development initiatives.
The prime minister and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko
discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties and focused on increasing trade between the two countries.
Both the leaders emphasized on exploring their investment potential in
diverse fields particularly agriculture, culture and education sectors and also focused on regional connectivity and its importance in bringing improvement to the lives of common people.
President Lukashenko extended invitation to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to visit Belarus, which was accepted by him.